Knockdown reflector construction



Sept. 12, 1950 w. A. KOMULAINE 2,522,230

mocxnowu REFLECTOR CONSTRUCTIQN Filed Aug. 4, 1947 2 Sheets$heet l [I IIa iiHlmL ,0 5E1!!!" 4 wmiilI INVENTQR.

QTTOBNEV Sept. 12, 1950 w. A. KOMULAINE 2,522,230

KNOCKDOWN REFLECTOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 4, v1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN 7 '0R.

107' 7' GENE V Patented Sept. 12, 1950 .UNITED STATES PATENT Q'FFICE2,522,230 KNOCKDOWN REFLECTOR CONSTRUCTION Wayne A. Komulaine, LosAngeles, Calif. Application August 4, 1947, Serial N 0. 765,975

This invention relates to reflectors for use with incandescent electriclamps; more particularly it relates to such reflectors of knock downconstruction.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved reflector ofthis type.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a reflectoradapted to be formed in an economical manner of low cost materials.

It is another object of this invention to pro vide a reflector employingsheet material in a novel manner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a knockdown reflectorwhich may be assembled and disassembled in a simple manner, thecomponent parts occupying a greatly reduced space when disassembled.

It is another object of this invention to provide a knock down reflectorformed of sheet material, such material being adapted for disposal infolded stacked relation when the reflector is disassembled.

This invention possesses many other advantages and has other objectswhich may be made more easily. apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a form inthe drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification.This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the generalprinciples of the invention; but it is to be understood that thisdetailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense since thescope of the invention rangement of a plurality of reflectors;

Figure 3 is a cross section taken substantially as indicated by line 3-3of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail elevation partly in section, showing the cornerconstruction of the reflector;

Figure 5 is a cross section. taken substantially as indicated by line5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a development of the reflector ele' ments, and illustratingan initial step in. the assembly thereof;

Figure '7 is a detail section taken substantially as indicated by linel--'! of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an end view of one of the reflector elements in disassembledrelation; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross section on an 12 Claims. (Cl. 24036)enlarged scale, taken substantially as indicated by line 9-9 of Figure6.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6, the reflector is formed of pieces A,B and C of resilient sheet material appropriately cut so that whenassembled they form an open front structure having pairs of divergingwalls I and 2, and 3 and 4, a conventional socket 5 being secured in theback of the structure for mounting an incandescent lamp 6. The ends ofthe walls l and 2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, may serve optionally toprovide a flat base on which the reflector rests with the open frontextending perpendicularly thereto, or the reflector may rest on theexternal curved surface provided by either of these walls, and securedas by suitable blocking or other means, not shown, with the open frontat a desired inclination.

The material of which the pieces A, B and C are formed should besufiiciently flexible to be readily bent as required for assembly, atthe same time having sufficient resilience to resume substantially itsinitial flat condition upon disassembly. Thus, the reflector whendisassembled requires only a small space. For example, cardboard of asuitable weight may be employed, the reflecting surface being formed bya layer of aluminum paint. Optionally, a plastic or a light gauge sheetmetal may be employed.

As shown in Figure 6, the piece A comprises a rectangular sheet having astiffening member l0 ably secured thereon. A central aperture II isformed in the sheet for accommodating the socket-5. Equally spaced onopposite sides of the member It, and parallel therewith, are slots orcuts 52 and 13 of restricted length and extending centrally through thesheet A.

The pieces B and C are substantially identical, each having a straightouter edge l6 adapted to connect the corresponding corners of the edgesill and [5 of the piece A when the pieces A, B and C are bent, tomaintain the pieces in assembled-relation. The opposite side edges I1and I8 converge equally from the outer edge It and have a configurationsuch that they engage the surface of the sheet A when assembled.

The pieces B and C each have a rectangular extension l9 opposite theedge i6, joined to the piece by a reduced neck 28 having a widthsubstantially equal to the spacing of the slots l2 and I3 and whichdefines tongues I fi--a and l9-b on the opposite sides of the extension19. These tongues i9c and i9b are adapted to enter respectively theslots i2 and 43 or vice Versa, and

3 when so placed, the neck 2i! cooperates with the slots to position thepiece B or C properly with respect to the sheet A. Sheets B and C eachhave an aperture 2| adapted to align with aperture H for accommodatingthe socket 5 when the sheets are assembled.

In assembling the reflector, one of the pieces B or C, for example sheetB, is laid on the rib l and sheet A in an inclined position, as shown bythe broken lines, Fig. 6, and one edge of the extension I9 is insertedin the slot 12. The piece is then straightened to the full line positionso that the opposite edge of the extension Ill enters the other slot [3.At this time, the sheet A may be flexed upwardly about the member Illand the sheet B flexed downwardly as shown in Figure 7. The other pieceC is inserted in a similar manner.

As previously mentioned, the slots l2 and i3 cooperate with the necks 20to position the pieces B and C lengthwise of the piece A. Furthermore,these slots I2 and I3 are so arranged and located that by the engagementof their ends with the tongues l9a and l9-'b, they limit outwardmovement of the extensions I9 due to the force exerted by bending thesheets B and C in assembling the reflector, maintaining the sheetsproperly positioned.

After placement of the extensions 19 in the slots [2 and I3, the piecesA, B and Care bent to bring their adjacent corners together; that is,referring to Figure 6, the pieceA would be bent about the rib ii) tobring the edges [5 and i5 upwardly from the plane of the paper.Similarly pieces B and C each would be bent along the neck m to bringtheedges l6 upwardly'from the plane of the paper. The adjoining cornersare then secured together, maintaining the reflector assembled. V

For this purpose members 24,2 5and'26' are provided respectively alongthe edges I 1, l5 and it (see particularly Figs. 4 and 5) which memberseach have a tubular portion 21 defining a space or channel anda pair ofspaced parallel legs 28 and 29 between which the edge-of the associatedsheet A, B or C is securedas by a stamping operation forming spacedindentations 30 which clamp the sheet against the other leg.

A pair of the members which are oppositely disposed, for example members25, each rotatably accommodate a rod 3 l having right angle extensions32 at each end adapted for insertion in the tubular portion 2l of theadjoining members 24 and 25. The rotatable mounting of the rods 3|facilitates the insertion and removal of such extensions 32.

The lamp socket 5 is entirely conventional, having a cylindricalibodyexternally threaded on its inner end'5a and having an intermediateannular shoulder 5b.

The socket 5 is inserted through the apertures II and 2|, and is securedby a nut Mthreaded on its inner end, clamping the extensions I9 againstthe stiffener I8 and sheet A, and sheet A in turn against the shoulder.Thus, the member ID, in addition to stiffening the sheet A, serves asaspacer which maintains the extensions E9 of sheets B and C spaced fromsheet A, so that the apertures i l and 2| engage the socket 5 at spacedpoints and support itadequately;

Whenit is desiredto disassemble the reflector, the socket 5 and'lamp 5are removed and the corners of the sheets A, B and C are disconnected.This will allow the sheets to be substantially flattened and theextensions l9 to be removed from the slots l2 and I3.

To allow sheet A to be folded so as to be of reduced size andsubstantially flat, the stiffener i0 is of novel form, see particularlyFigure 9. Thus a strip of suitable material, for example the samematerial as that of the sheets A, B and C, is folded along a medial lineto provide a pair of diverging legs 35 and 36, the end portions of whichare bent outwardly and secured to sheet A by a suitable adhesive. Thespacing of the attached portions of the legs permits the sheet A tooccupy any position between an open flat position .or a folded positionabout the stiffener, as shown in Figure 8.

The stiffening member 19 may be used, if desired, forattaching thereflector to a mounting means. Thus in Figure 2, a second reflectorindicated b the letter D is shown as supported on the previouslydescribed reflector comprising the members A, B and C.

For maintaining the reflector D against lateral displacement, a wood'ormetal pin P of suitable size is mounted in the member ID of the lowerreflector and provides a projection adapted to engage the correspondingmember l0-a in the upper reflector D. The upper reflector merely restson the lower reflector and may be removed at will.

I claim:

1. A reflector structure comprising, means forming a pair of divergingreflecting surfaces having as elements, parallel right lines, a pair ofmembers providing reflecting. surfaces diverging transversely of thefirst mentioned surfaces, said members being confined between said firstmentioned surfaces, means securing the outer ends of said members andsaid surface forming means together, and means including. overlappingportions respectivelyat the inner ends'of said members securing saidinner ends'to saidsurface forming means at points spaced on oppositesides of the medial element thereof.

2. A reflector structure comprising, means forming a pair of divergingreflecting surfaces having as elements parallel right lines, astiffening rib secured to said means along the medial element of saidsurfaces, a pair ofmembers providing reflecting surfaces divergingtransversely of the first mentioned surfaces, and having as elementsparallel right lines extending perpendicularly with respect to the linesof said first mentioned surfaces, each member of said pair having anextension overlying said rib, and means securing said extensions to saidsurface forming means on opposite sides of said rib.

3. A reflector structure comprising, means forming a pair of divergingreflecting surfaces having as elements paralle'lright lines, astiffening rib secured to said means along the medial element of saidsurfaces, a pair of membersproviding reflecting surfaces'divergingtransversely of the first mentioned surfaces, and having as elementsparallel right lines extending perpendicularly with respect to the linesof said first mentioned surfaces, each member of said pair having anextension overlying said rib, there being slots respectively on oppositesides of said rib through said surface forming means forreceiving theedge portions of said extension and securing said extensions to saidsurface forming means.

4. A reflector structure comprising, means forming a pair of divergingreflecting surfaces having as elements parallel right lines, a tiffeningrib secured to said means along the medial element of said surfaces, apair of members providing reflecting surfaces diverging transversely ofthe first mentioned surfaces, and having as elements parallel rightlines extending perpendicularly with respect to the lines of said firstmentioned surfaces, each member of said pair having an extensionoverlying said rib, and means securing said extensions to said surfaceforming means on opposite sides of said rib, there being alignedapertures through said extensions and said surface forming means formounting a lamp socket.

5. A reflector structure comprising, means forming a pair of divergingreflecting surfaces having as elements parallel right lines, astiffening rib secured to said means along the medial element of saidsurfaces, a pair of members providing reflecting surfaces divergingtransversely of the first mentioned surfaces, and having as elementsparallel right lines extending perpendicularly with respect to the linesof said first mentioned surfaces, each member of said pair having anextension overlying said rib, and joined to the respective member by areduced neck, there being slots respectively on opposite sides of saidrib through said surface forming means and spaced by a distancesubstantially equal to the versely of the first mentioned surface, eachof said members having edges curved to conform with the surface of saidsheet, an inwardly directed stiffening rib secured along the medial lineof said surface, there being slots through said sheet of limited lengthon opposite sides of said rib and parallel therewith, each of saidmembers having a plane extension adapted to overlie said rib and engagesaid slots for securing the inner ends of said members in spacedrelation to the central portion of said sheet, and means securing theouter corners of said members to the adjacent corners of said sheet.

10. A knockdown reflector comprising a rectangular sheet foldable alonga medial line and adapted to provide opposed flaring reflectingsurfaces, a pair of members adapted to provide opposed reflectingsurfaces, flaring transversely of the first mentioned surfaces, astiffening element extendingalong said medial line comprising a pair oflegs straddling said line and secured to said sheet, said legs extendinginwardly from said sheet and being joined in foldable relation along aline in spaced parallelism with said medial line, and means securing theinner ends of said members against said element.

width of said neck, for receiving the edge portions of said extensionsand securing said extensions to said surface forming means, said slotsbeing solocated and of such extent as to locate said members in properposition in said surface forming means.-- I

6. A reflector comprising a rectangular sheet formed to provide aconcave surface, a pair of members each formed to provide a concavesurface adapted to extend substantially from the center of said sheet toan edge thereof transversely of the first mentioned surface, each ofsaid members having edges curved to conform with the surface of saidsheet, and means securing said members and said sheet in assembledrelation.

7. A reflector comprising a rectangular sheet formed to provide aconcave surface, a pair of members each formed to provide a concavesurface adapted to extend substantially from the center of said sheet toan edge thereof transversely of the first mentioned surface, each ofsaid members having edges curved to conform with the surface of saidsheet, means securing the inner end of each of said members to thecentral portion of said sheet and means securing the outer corners ofsaid members to the adjacent corners of said sheet.

8. A reflector comprising a rectangular sheet formed to provide aconcave surface, a pair of members each formed to provide a concavesurface adapted to extend substantially from the center of said sheet toan edge thereof, each of said members having edges curved to conformwith the surface of said sheet, means securing said members and saidsheet in assembled relation, and means providing a restricted openingextending along the medial element of the first mentioned surface fromone edge thereof to accommodate mounting means for the reflector.

9. A reflector comprising a rectangular sheet formed to provide aconcave surface, a pair of members each formed to provide a concavesurface adapted to extend substantially from the center of said sheet toan edge thereof trans- 11. A reflector structure comprising: meansforming a pair of diverging reflecting surfaces having as elements,parallel right lines; a pair of members providing reflecting surfacesdiverging transversely of the first mentioned surfaces, extendingtherebetween and having as elements parallel right lines; means securingthe inner ends of said members to said surface forming means; andfastening means securing the outer edges of said members to the outeredges of said surface forming means, comprising a member rotatablymounted on one of said edges and having an angled extension adjacent oneend thereof, and an opening adjacent the abutting end of another edgeengaging said extension.

12. A reflector structure comprising: means forming a pair of divergingreflecting surfaces having as elements, parallel right lines; a pair ofmembers providing reflecting surfaces diverging transversely of thefirst mentioned surfaces, extending therebetween and having as elementsparallel right lines; means securing the inner ends of said members tosaid surface forming means; and means forming a channel along the outeredges of said members as well as of said surface forming means; a pairof rotatable members disposed respectively in a pair of said channels onopposite edges and having an angled extension adjacent each end of saidedge, respectively insertible in the adjacent ends of the other pair ofchannels.

WAYNE A. KOMULAINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 922,958 Ryan May 25, 19091,034,077 Carlstedt July 30, 1912 1,059,371 Kelley Apr. 22, 19181,651,640 Spencer Dec. 6, 1927 1,677,602 Spieth July 17, 1928 1,987,705Pedersen Jan. 15, 1935 2,242,525 Kirlin May 20, 1941 2,261,187 ScribnerNov. 4, 1941

